No knowledge of Damascus hiding chemical stockpiles: Russia

Moscow – Moscow denied Friday having any information about Damascus hiding some of its chemical arsenals.

“For over a month a joint mission of the UN and Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been working. Its task is to support Syrian authorities of implementing their obligations of destruction of chemical weapons stocks, production capacities and facilities,” reported Xinhua citing the ministry’s spokesperson Alexander Lukashevich during a press briefing.

He noted that Moscow did not have any facts that Syria had been concealing some of its weapons, as CNN reported recently.

According to the diplomat, it’s “senseless” to comment on the media report.

He cited recent reports of the OPCW submitted to the UN Security Council which have praised Syrian authorities for cooperation with the joint UN-OPCW mission and stated successful work on chemical disarmament.

“Hollow accusations of Damascus could be perceived as nothing but expression of distrust to the fruitful work of these respectable international organisations,” Lukashevich said.

CNN reported Wednesday that the United States was looking at new classified intelligence indicating the Syrian government may not fully declare its chemical weapons stockpile.